Automatically motor driven security gates operated by the approach of, e.g., a vehicle, e.g., with the detection of the presence of the vehicle, or with some coded operating mechanism, e.g., a sound operated or infrared operated coded signaling device are well known in the art. Such gates are very secure and also very convenient, and have the advantage of not having to be personed, i.e., have a gate operator that activates the gate upon the approach of a vehicle authorized to pass through the gage, in ingress or egress. This can also, however, be a disadvantage in the event, e.g., of a power failure. In such cases, especially where the power failure occurs with the gate in an intermediate position between fully open or fully closed, the gate could be desired to be able to be moved from the intermediate position or be desired to be kept in the intermediate position pending the return of power to the gate operating mechanism. A simple and convenient way of accomplishing this goal is needed. The present invention is a way of satisfying that need.